Ch.20: The Chance for Survival with a Weighty Price! Your Debt will be Collected!

It was early in the morning, with the sun rising from above the distant horizon. As the residents of the village made their way out to get that first breath of morning air, others were starting their day off with a healthy breakfast.

And, one home in particular, a magnificent breakfast.

Tony was making a delicious batch of pancakes with the items he bought yesterday. He sliced up some berries and placed them into the mix to give them a nice kick of flavor. Using the Grepa berries he acquired, he was making a side of juice for the family.

The tantalizing smell of the pancakes made his younger sister drool a river in anticipation. "Pancakes~…" she sighed blissfully. It has been quite a while since she had a delicious pancake. She could still remember the fluffy texture and spectacularly sweet taste of the last batch she last dined on.

Her mother chuckled. "Cheri, you might want to close your mouth."

She was brought back down to reality and realized she was drooling. With an embarrassed blush and sheepish grin crossing her face, she wiped away the saliva. "Hehe…sorry."

Tony rolled his eyes and laughed. "Don't worry, shrimp. Pancakes will be ready soon. In the meantime…" He grabbed two bottles, his mother's medicine and his sister's vitamins, and tossed them over to the Pikachu, who juggled them in her hands before finally catching them. "Take those."

She saluted. "Aye-Aye, Captain!" She unscrewed the bottle and dumped two vitamins out, which were the chewy kind she preferred over the pills, and threw them into her mouth. She ran over to the sink and got a glass of water for her mother before coming back and pulling out her medicine. "Here you are."

She took the pills and swallowed them with her water. She gagged a bit before laying her head back down. "Ugh…nasty…"

Tony smirked. "Well, don't you worry, Mother. After you get a taste of the scrumptious pancakes, that horrid medicine taste will be an afterthought."

"My expectations are towering as we speak," she replied with a chuckle, resting her hands on her stomach.

The Dewott flipped the pancakes from the stovetop and deftly caught them on three separate plates. Each plate had five stacks of pancakes for maximum consumption and satisfaction. He placed a fork and knife on each plate and carried them over.

"Here you go." He handed them off and set his own plate down. Before they could dig in, he held his finger up. "Ah, ah, ah…not before you add a little…syrup!" he exclaimed, presenting the jug of thick, viscous liquid of maple taste.

Cheri's eyes sparkled in delight. "No way! You got syrup too?!" She didn't wait for him to answer as she snatched the jug and went to town on her pancakes with it.

He smirked. "You, uh, want some pancakes with your syrup?" he asked, as all he could see was a tower of syrup.

She stuck her tongue out. "Haha…"

"Yeah, yeah, save some for Mom and I," he said as he swiped the bottle out of her hands. "This brand isn't cheap, you know." He poured some syrup on his mother's stack before repeating the process with his own.

The sick Raichu pushed herself up and cut through her pancakes. She stabbed the desired bite and ate it. A rush of sweetness and heaven surged through her taste buds. "Oh my! Simply marvelous!"

Cheri took a bite as well and shivered from head to toe with a tingling feeling of sheer delight. "These. Are. Amazing!" she exclaimed, helping herself to a second bite.

The thief smiled proudly. "Anything for my two girls." He cut off a bit of his stack and ate it, letting the flavor melt inside his mouth.

His mother was about halfway through her pancakes when she asked, "So dearie, what do you have planned for today?"

He set his fork down and wiped his face with a napkin. "I have a few errands to run today. Shipment of medicine for Pops. I should be back in time to whip up some lunch."

Cheri leaned forward with hopeful eyes. "Annnd~?"

He rolled his eyes at her and ruffled her hair. "Annnd, I might come across some Bluk berries later and buy them. I have the money for it."

She squealed quietly and hugged his waist. "And that is why you're my favorite big brother!"

He smirked. "Gee, thanks sis…and no, I'm not getting you another candy bar."

"Dang it!"

He laughed and ruffled her hair once more before going back to his breakfast. "Anyway, while I'm gone," he pointed his fork at his mother, "try and get some rest. If I'm late, make sure you take your medicine."

She smiled. "You have nothing to worry about, dearie. I'm not YOUR child, remember?"

He smirked. "Yeah, yeah…" He then shifted his attention to Cheri. "And you know the rules. Keep the doors locked and only open them for me."

She pouted. "I'm not stupid, Tony. I would never do such a thing."

He rested his chin in his hand. "Really? Never opened the door for a complete stranger? Not once?"

She blushed in embarrassment. "Uh…no?" His gaze was unwavering as it loomed over her with a judging gleam. "…okay, so I opened the door once when someone said they had a package for us…despite us never getting mail…"

"And surprise, surprise, it was just a common thief trying to steal our food. You're lucky I was on my way home when that happened." He stabbed the last of his pancakes and ate them. After he swallowed, he wiped his mouth clean and said, "Just don't let anyone in without my say."

She sighed, then presented a determined grin. "Don't you worry! I won't let you down!"

"Atta girl!" He set his plate into the sink and snatched the money bag off the counter. "I'm off. See you both at noon."

"Stay safe, Tony," his mother wished.

"Don't forget my Bluk berries!" Cheri shouted. Her mother shot a glance at her. "I mean, I love you!" she shouted with an awkward grin.

He merely shook his head with a smile and exited the hut.

Wes was in a deep sleep as he laid in the surprisingly comfortable beds. He slept with his brother while the girls shared the other bed for the night. A light trail of drool escaped from his open jaw. For someone who stated they should get up early every morning, he wasn't making an effort to escape dreamland.

His friends were already dressed for the day and were staring at the Umbreon with deadpanned expressions, clearly not impressed with his laziness. He must have been extra tired, but it's not much of an excuse since even Gwyn made the effort to rise from her slumber, no matter how exhausting and 'painful' it was.

"…so, which one of us is going to wake him up?" Flint asked with a sideways glance to the girls.

"I'm on it," Ella muttered as she walked over to the fridge and opened the freezer. Using her Psychic, she pulled a chunk of ice off the walls and floated it towards the sleeping hunter.

Gwyn raised a brow in question. "Can't we just shake him awake?"

"Yes, but I could use a good laugh in the morning," she replied before slipping the ice down his tank top.

Almost immediately, the Umbreon shot out of bed like a firework and slipped off the bed. The impact of hitting the floor didn't faze him, or at least not enough to ignore the freezing object in his sleepwear.

"C-C-Cold!" He threw the tank top off his body, allowing the piece of ice to bounce on the floor. He looked up at his friends with narrowed eyes. They had to look away to not show their snickering faces. "Real mature, guys."

Ella snorted before raising her paw. "Guilty. But seriously, you're saying you wouldn't pull that move on one of us?"

"…" His mildly annoyed expression changed to a playful grin with laughter. "Alright, guess I deserve that for oversleeping."

"Good. Now, can you put some clothes on?"

"Oh, right." He walked over to his bag and pulled out his clothes. He put his pants on. "Now, we'll search until it's time for lunch, then continue until sunset."

Gwyn groaned. "That'll take forevvvvver!" She face-planted onto her bed.

Flint chuckled. "Hey, with the size of this village, it shouldn't take more than half an hour…provided we can catch him before he sneaks off."

"And besides," Ella added, "We'll be checking out the pharmacy first. The doctor there is bound to have dirt on Tony."

After getting his shirt on, Wes slipped his jacket on. "The sooner we get the key back, the sooner we can leave." He placed his hat on. "No time for dilly-dallying, let's go."

"Right!"

They headed out of their room, with Ella locking it shut and slipping the key into her vest pocket, then made their way out the motel.

The Dewott made quick work in getting Morgan's shipments in, delivered by a Braviary. All the boxes of medicine were delivered in a massive metal crate, something he was impressed by. The crate alone should be heavy for the large bird, yet he carries them around like they're cardboard.

He carried the last box in from the back and set it down. He wiped his brow in exhaustion and slid to the floor, fanning himself. "I'm beat…"

Morgan walked into the storage room and took inventory of the boxes. "That seems to be everything. Thanks for your help, Tony."

"Eh, no problem, Pops. Only took…two hours…" He fell on his back and groaned. "I need a break."

"Well, once you're done dying on the floor, I need you to run some deliveries for me." He ripped off a sheet on the clipboard and dropped it on the Dewott. "I'll pack the medicine for you. Just make sure to get them to those sick folk."

He grabbed the list and stuffed it in his vest. "Roger…"

He laid there for a few solid minutes before forcing himself onto his rear. He stretched his arms and massaged his neck, then rose to his feet. Patting his hands clean, he made his way up front to get the deliveries.

Morgan placed the medicine in bags and handed them to Tony. "The names and addresses of the clients are on the bags, so don't mix them up."

He waved his warning off dismissively. "Chill, I would never make a simple mistake like that." He grabbed the bags and made his way to the door. "I'll be back to collect my payment." He exited and started his trip around the village.

The villagers were already bustling with activity, making it easy for the Dewott to blend in with the crowd. He kept a careful eye out for the treasure hunters. He didn't know if they were the vengeful type of travelers, so he needed to be on his guard.

He made his way around the village, knocking on the doors of clients in need of medicine. They thanked him kindly and exchanged the healing remedy for bits. As usual, Tony gave a polite bow and wished them a good day before heading off to the next hut.

He had to hand it to Morgan. Being a doctor in a poor man's village such as this had its upsides. No wonder he was the richest man in Fuego Village.

After a half hour of walking, he almost checked off all his stops. There was one bottle left and one hut left. Just finish off this deliver and he can go home with some extra cash for his pockets.

He whistled innocently as he walked down the dirt path, cutting a few corners to get to his destination faster. He should do some shopping before he went home. Cheri was going to be upset if he didn't get those Bluk berries. He's guilty for spoiling her so much, but he wanted her life here to be as enjoyable as possible. Without many friends, she only her him and their mother as a source for company, so he didn't mind treating her every so often.

Same thing went for his mother. Whenever she insists she's doing better, which would lead to her cracking another bad pun, he knew she was lying. He'd make an effort to get her as comfortable as possible, brewing a cup of coffee, giving her something to occupy her time, or make her a lovely meal from what leftover scraps he can scrape up from the back of the fridge.

He was so use to handling the chores and cooking around the house that he developed a sense of joy from doing it. It made him feel like a good person, which helped him atone for his wrongdoings as a thief. It was basically a good counterbalance to keep his mind stable.

Although, what his mother said the other night was worth considering. Does he really want to spend the rest of his life looking after them? And, if not, what then?

Once he made enough money, he could get them all to a proper home with better living conditions and better options for work. The change in atmosphere would help his mother get better, as the ashy air wasn't good for her health. She'll be able to stand up on her own and work for herself, without relying on her only son.

Then there was Cheri. As much as he enjoyed teasing and babying her, he knew he couldn't watch over her forever. She'll eventually grow up, attend a nice college he'll have to pay for, then she'll set off on her own path to work for herself, taking everything she learned from him and teaching it to her children, his nephews and nieces.

Once they don't need his help anymore, he would have fulfilled his life goal. Even if he could scrounge up the money to make it possible, what was left for him to do? He spent so much time caring for them, he never considered what he wanted out of life.

While his skills in pickpocketing were valuable assets, he wasn't sure his mother would appreciate a selfish life of crime. She was already on the fence for doing it for their benefits, doing it out of selfish need would break her heart. So, yeah, path of the bandit was off the table.

He looked up at the clouds with a wondering stare. He could settle down as his mother suggested. Though, there weren't many girls that caught his eye, at least here. Like his sister, he didn't know too many people, with Morgan being his only real friend. Everyone else is either a fellow neighbor or a merchant who hates his guts. The usual type of thing.

He sighed dryly, stretching a wry smile. He shouldn't be thinking about his future or marriage. He had duties to attend to in the present. It was a tomorrow problem if anything. He can figure out what he wants to do once he finishes sorting out his family's future and get settle down with a nice girl, if he wanted to.

He chuckled. Like there was a girl who would be accepting of his thieving history…well, he did know a young thief many years back, a close friend of his. He didn't think much of her, as he hasn't seen her ever since she left the village.

"I wonder how she's doing nowadays…" Tony muttered to himself. He snickered. "Probably pickpocketing her way to wealth and fortune."

Before he could reminisce with the past, his whiskers twitched, sensing a presence nearby. Normally, he just shrug it off as the other villagers. Except…there wasn't many people down this street. Or anyone for that matter.

Either he was being followed by a crazy salesman wanting to sell him a defected vacuum cleaner, surprisingly happening to him twice in his life…or someone he wasn't particularly chummy towards.

Deciding to let fate indicate his suspicious, he threw his fingers over his shoulder without turning. "Lightning Shot." His finger sparked with blue electricity before a condensed, thin beam of electricity shot through the air, flying at near unavoidable speeds.

Unavoidable being correct as the two stalkers hit the dirt fast enough to evade the singing wrath of magical power. They were about to rise to their feet, but the shadow of their target loomed over them. They looked up to meet the eyes of the smirking Dewott and the glow of his sparking fingertips.

"Greetings, gentlemen!" he acknowledged with a cheery voice, the subtle undertone of annoyance very obvious to them. "So, come to mug me? Or are you here just to get another rejection to your little boys club?"

Pinsir raised his hands as a sign of peace, showing he didn't want a fight to ensue. "Tony Sapienti…yes, we are here to see if you reconsidered-"

"Do I have to brand it into your forehead just to get the memo across?" He pressed his index finger against his forehead. Pinsir cringed from the unbearable heat seething across the one spot. "I'm. Not. Interested." He flicked him onto his back. "Bother me about this again and I might consider blowing up your gang's base." He walked pass the stag beetle, only to be halted by Dusclops. He smirked. "You want to get fried, pal?"

He didn't waver in fear. He stood his ground as he said, "Allows us one last chance to see the benefits of our gang."

He waved his request off. "I'm not interested in joining some stupid gang that muscles folks out of their cash." He crossed his arms, flashing a proud smile. "Stealing his a talent and art in this game of crime. You dopes lack the finesse to pull off an expertly planned robbery without showing off your muscles and acting like the strongman of circuses."

The ghost narrowed his eye. "That is why we wish for you to come with us, to hear of our organization's goals. Not from the mouths of underlings…from the top dog himself: Count Aeternus."

While he was still uninterested, this was quite surprising. Their boss actually wanted to speak with him personally? Flattered wasn't the first word that crossed his mind.

He smirked and chuckled conceitedly, hands on hips. "Well, I knew I'm quite the worthy pick for your boy scouts committee, but why the interest?"

"He requests the alliance of any and all magic users. With their numbers sided with us, we would be unstoppable."

Tony raised a brow. "And you really think I'm just going to go along with this? I told you, I'm not interested."

"Hear us out. He specifically requested you BECAUSE of your skills in thievery." The Dewott will give him this, he finally caught his attention. "You are right, we are mere amateurs to the delicate art of stealing. We invoke fear into the public to show them we are not to be messed with."

"However," Pinsir joined in, grabbing the Dewott by the shoulders, "if we were to show them that they can't escape our clutches, it would add to our terror. You could teach your ways to our best members. No one's possessions would be safe. Keys, ID, money, you name it! They can be on their guard all they want, but they'll always lose a piece of themselves to us every day."

"Until they finally concede and realize the error of their ways. It's basic reaction in all Pokémon…" Then they both said in unison:

"Once something important is taken from you, your soul, your life, your being, will shatter."

Tony narrowed his eyes as the two stepped in front of him. "So…what do you say? Hear our leader out, and all will become clear."

The Dewott was obviously still skeptical about listening to these clowns. He was a hair away from zapping them unconscious with Storm Magic. However, no matter what, they'll only keep pestering him until who knows how long. That, and their leader was obviously very interested in his skills. Perhaps it was worth hearing out, if only to get these nitwits to hit the road.

With a defeated sigh, he said, "Very well…I'll go along with you." He extended his finger at them lazily. "But, the moment I lose interest and give my final response, I don't want any of your gang members, or your leader, harassing me ever again."

Pinsir raised his hands in understanding. "Trust us, you won't be disappointed."

"Don't hold your breath." He pushed him out of his way. "Come on, let's get this over with." The two gang members looked at each other sinisterly, giving silent nods to each other, before marching ahead.

They walked in silence for about three minutes as they made their way to the secluded hut. The flaps of the hut swayed open lightly, as if the whole base was expecting his arrival and tempting him to step inside. The thief stared suspiciously at the hut before stepping inside.

He was greeted by the intimidating faces of the various gang members present. Many of them were dining gluttonously on the finest food you could find in the village. So…basically ripe berries. Of course, there were those sharpening their knives and such, others sitting around a table retelling stories of what he could only imagine were their previous muggings with the villagers, and some lounging around lazily.

Tony narrowed his eyes. "Do all of you just eat and sleep? No wonder you haven't become international criminals yet. You're all a bunch of lazy scumbags." He was immediately met with multiple blunderbuss pistols aimed for his head, the sight of which not fazing him. On the contrary, he just smirked puckishly. "Did I strike a nerve there?"

Dusclops snapped his fingers to gain their attention. "Weapons down. This is our guest…" His eye glowed sinisterly at the Dewott. "And potential ally-OW!" His hands flew up to his eye to rub the stinging pain.

Tony lowered his extended finger. "Personal space." Hands in pockets, he walked forward. "Now, where's your leader? He hiding somewhere?" He walked pass a Nidoqueen and swiped an expensive pearl necklace off of her neck without notice, skillfully pocketing it. "Or is he just afraid I'll be burning this place to the ground." He turned around, pickpocketing a Rhydon of his coin bag.

Pinsir rubbed his hands together. "He's in his own personal base. He wouldn't want to be caught in this hobble for the public to see." He pulled a curtain to the side and gestured to step in. "Please, have a seat."

Tony stepped inside and sat in the only chair in the room. It was made of velvet with gold accessories. He felt the golden bumps on the armrest. Wonder how much I can sell these for. Heck, maybe I can take the whole chair if I'm lucky.

His attention was drawn by the Dusclops' snapping fingers. He tugged on a gold color pull string, which parted the curtains hiding a decorative mirror. While he was no expert in magical items, the Dewott knew the attended purpose of this item.

"A spatial mirror, eh? Must of cost a fortune to get that beauty."

Pinsir chuckled, shaking his head. "Far from the truth. This mirror was provided to us by Count Aeternus himself. It is the most efficient way to make contact with him, much more than those pesky crystal balls."

Tony rolled his eyes. Yeah, because lugging that thing around wouldn't be an issue. "Just call the man already."

He nodded and pressed his hand against the glass. The touch created a ripple affect across the reflective surface before swirling with color. He stepped back and stood by Tony's side, who rested his cheek in his curled hand.

The mirror presented the shadowy man, who, much to the surprise of the thief, was squatting in his chair, like some freaky goblin or gargoyle peering over the ledge of a roof. His sickening, toothy grin was uncomfortably noticeable, as it was the only thing he could make out from his darkened form.

"Tony Sapienti…I see you've received the message I sent you. I'm glad…I just so wanted you to be here." He snapped his fingers. "Give our guest some wine."

Almost immediately, two servant ran to his side. One carrying a tray with a wine bottle, the other with a tray for his wine glass. The drink was poured and handed to him before he could say anything. The servants disappeared into the other room.

On the mirror, Aeternus was having his own glass filled. He sniffed the beverage and dipped his finger into it, stirring the red liquid. "Enjoy yourself, my friend. We have SO much to discuss."

Tony raised a brow at the man's unique…no, strange behavior. Most mob bosses he heard about from history books were supposed to be serious and very intimidating. This guy, while striking points of the creepiness scale, was acting like some hermit who spent the last ten years of his life staring at a wall, while counting seeds and throwing them into a bag with an open hole.

The thief sneered and poured the wine on the ground, shocking the two gang members behind him. "Sorry, I don't drink."

The count wasn't aggravated by his act of rudeness. In fact, his smile appeared to stretch. "I suppose not. Even as a man who steals for his own sake, you still follow the law to a degree." He bowed apologetically. "My apologies for giving you, a mere minor, such an intoxicating beverage." He dipped his glass down and poured his drink into his mouth, flowing in like a waterfall. He wiped his lips and held his glass out, immediately filled back up.

Tony glared. "Alright, cut the crap. You obviously didn't bring me here to discuss imported wine." He leaned forward. "Let's just cut to the chase. The answer is no. I'm not joining your little task force of extreme anarchists who feel they can bend the rules for their own pleasure. Even I have standards and bringing the world to its knees is not one of them." He leaned back, folding his hands together with a smug grin. "So why don't I just leave you mulling over these thoughts while I take this chair for some nice cash?" He prepared to get out of his seat, with the intention of leaving.

Pinsir and Dusclops were already reaching for their guns when, suddenly, Aeternus started laughing, catching Tony off guard. He threw his head back, holding his forehead with delight. Even with his erratic laughter, the wine in his glass didn't spill out.

The gang members didn't know what to do, so they just laughed along with him. Tony stayed silent, narrowing his eyes at this strange man.

Aeternus ended his mischievous hilarity and wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh, you say the funniest things, dear Dewott."

Now Tony was definitely sure this guy was off his rocker. He pointed accusingly at the madman. "I don't think I made myself clear enough. I said, you can forget me joining your group of anarchists."

Aeternus smirked wide and raised his hand. With a swift click of his fingers, the room around his illuminated, revealing a smiling Mr. Mime. He wore a long black cloak with a diamond shaped pin keeping it typed together. Underneath the cloak was a motley tuxedo. The base looked normal, but the sleeves had yellow and black shade diamond patterns running down them. His dress pants were purple, with a belt of knives hanging around the waist. His tie had the alchemical symbol for, what Tony believed to be, earth.

He leaned forward, disturbing the Dewott. He actually felt a ping of fear resonating within him. Who was this guy?

"Dear Dewott…if only it were that simple."

"Here you go, Mr. Berkley," Morgan said to the Dustox floating in front of his counter. He handed him some medicine. "These should help you with your insomnia."

The Dustox yawned. "Thank you…Morgan." He fluttered out of the shop.

The Hypno folded his arms on the counter and looked up at the wall clock above him. He narrowed his eye suspiciously. "Huh…Tony should have been done by now." He sighed and pinched between his eyes. "Probably got himself into trouble again…"

The front door opened, prompting him to lift his head. Standing at his door was an Umbreon, Flareon, Espeon, and…a green Mew? He rubbed his eyes in confusion to make sure he wasn't imagining this.

Wes ran up to the counter and smiled at the baffled doctor. "Hello, my good man! Are you the local doctor of this village?"

Morgan readjusted himself, holding onto the counter to keep himself from falling over. "I'm, um…yes…"

"That's great, because we need a little help with something! You see, this Dewott we met yesterday kind of robbed us…"

The Hypno's eyes widened immediately. He raised his hand to stop the Umbreon's explanation. "Hold up, kid." He scrutinized the four travelers carefully. "You folks aren't from around here…" Morgan sighed and held his head. "Tony, you fool…"

"Aha!" Ella exclaimed. "So you do know of Tony!"

The doctor leaned over the counter with his elbow and narrowed his eyes wearily. "I can assure you, little lady, I know him. I know everybody in this village, even those unpleasant muggers who keep harassing the folks." He shook his head. "It's a darn shame, really."

Gwyn frowned. "How can anyone be so mean?"

"No one is born only good or evil. We have a little bit of one side in all of us. Some just lean more to one side than the other." He shook his head. "I'm getting off topic. So, you said Tony robbed you?"

Wes placed his paws on the counter and hoisted himself onto his hind legs. "That's correct, sir! We desperately need those stolen goods back!"

Morgan sighed. "Kid, I don't know what to tell you, but he spent a good chunk of your money the other day. You aren't getting much back from him." He scratched his head. "Still, if it'll keep you from starting a ruckus, I could deduct his payment when he gets back and payoff the money he used."

Flint bit his lip nervously. "As kind as that is…it's not the money we want back."

"Although, if you're offering…" Wes started.

"Wes!"

"But it's not important."

Morgan narrowed his eyes. Something else other than money? Hmm…the kid did say he stole some key off of them. But why in Mysto would they want a key over money? If I were them, I'd care about getting both back if it was so important. "It wouldn't happen to be a key, would it?"

Gwyn tapped her fingers together nervously. "Uh…well…maybe…" She raised a brow. "Did you…happen to see it on him?"

"I was busy with work when he came by yesterday. He might have showed it off, but my nose is always deep in work. Not a day goes by where someone isn't getting sick or collapsing from a defected lung."

Flint came up to the counter. "Do you know where he is?"

"He's out handling deliveries for me, since some of the folks here can't get up on their own."

"We need to find him as soon as possible. We need that key back."

"How come?"

Flint hesitated, but Wes thankfully stepped in. "It's for my jewel box. I keep many valuable gems tucked away inside and that key is the only thing that can open it."

Morgan raised a brow. "Is that so?"

"That's correct, sir."

They're obviously lying. I know Tony and he wouldn't sell something with no value. Still, it's a key…I wonder. "Well, just so you know, he tried selling it earlier. Fortunately, the shop owner deemed it worthless."

"Oh thank goodness!" Gwyn sighed in relief.

"Though, knowing him, he'd probably use it as a bargaining chip against you. Said he robbed from only one of you, so he'll most likely try to barter with it."

Ella shrugged. "Anything to get it back, I suppose."

Wes clicked his tongue nervously. "Uh, we could give him something other than money. I have a rug we can…" The sight of his friendly narrowly her eyes at his greedy soul stopped him. "…then again, money is very useful."

Morgan glared. "You're willing to give up all of your money…just to open a jewel box you can pry open with a crowbar?"

The Espeon shrugged. "What can we say? We're crazy travelers. Now cough up his location!"

The Hypno scratched his chin in thought. He'll have to mull over it later. For now…

"I don't know where Tony is. I sent him out a while ago, but he isn't back yet. He should have returned by now."

Flint glared to his right. "Probably robbing other folks…"

Morgan sighed. "I can see your encounter with him has left you with a grim impression."

"You could say that…"

"Look, I can understand the frustration of being robbed. But don't take your anger out on him. Tony's a good kid."

The Flareon scoffed. "Sure he is…probably taking care of his thieving friends as we speak-OW!" He rubbed his side and looked at Gwyn in surprise. "What was that for?"

Hands on hips, she glared accusingly at him. "You aren't being very nice, you know? We're giving Tony a chance. I don't care what your history with thieves was like! We're doing this the civilized way! So stop acting like a hypocrite and show me that what you taught me was true!"

Flint winced under the Mew's stare. He could see her eyes had slightly darkened from their usual bright red, almost like what happen when she lost her temper at that possessed Floatzel.

Still, she had a point. He made a big deal about trust with her and he's now acting like a hypocrite. He was spitting in the face of all that he taught her without a second thought.

He hung his head shamefully. "Sorry Gwyn…"

Her eyes brightened back to life and she smiled cheerily. "Thanks Flinty!" She hugged him with a 'squee'.

He chuckled awkwardly and pushed her off. He cleared his throat and looked at Morgan, this time with a calmer expression. "W-What I meant to say was…I don't particularly trust Tony after having our possessions taken. It's a violation of privacy that gets me wound up. I was robbed once before and…" He shook his head. "It made me realize I, or any of my belongings, wasn't always going to be safe.

"I may be acting out of line, though." He stared intensely at the doctor. "You swear he's a good guy?"

He raised his hand and placed it over his heart. "On my life. That boy is selfless, I can tell you that much. Perhaps if you catch him and let him explain himself, you might reach a compromise and get your key back."

Flint nodded, then looked at his friends. "That sounds like a reasonable idea."

Wes smiled brightly. "Great! Then let's find Tony!" His eyes widened in slight panic, his smile not dropping. "Only problem, we don't know where to find him."

Morgan rubbed his chin. "If he's not back yet, there's a chance he hasn't completed the deliveries yet." He took out a piece of paper and wrote some information down on it. He handed to them, saying, "Head to this section of town and you should cut him off. There won't be any escape points for him to make a getaway."

Wes took it and nodded. "Thanks for your help…uh…"

The doctor bowed. "Morgan Tenebris, at your service. And you all?"

"Wes Ravenfield. This is my brother, Flint, and our two friends, Ella and Gwyn."

"Hello!" they greeted.

Morgan smiled. "Pleasure to meet you folk. Hopefully you and Tony can settle your disagreement."

"We hope so." Wes started running out the door. "Come on, guys!" They followed him out, waving one last time at Morgan.

He gave a friendly wave until they were out the door. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he turned away from the counter and went to the stairs at the side. "This can't be a coincidence…"

"What do you mean it isn't that simple?"

Aeternus shrugged. "It just isn't." He sipped his wine. "Sure you don't want a drink? I make sure my men have the finest-"

"I don't care about your bloody wine! What are you talking about?!" He pointed out the room. "I can literally leave at any moment and there isn't a damn thing you can do to stop me! You don't have any hold over me!"

The count stirred his drink with his finger. "And you're right. I have no power over you. But they certainly do." He pointed at the two thugs in the same room as the thief. "The thing is, Tony, I always get what I desire. Whether it be through bribery…" He applied pressure to the glass and shattered it down the middle. "…or intimidation."

The thief folded his arms with a skeptical glare. "Explain."

"You have a lovely family, Tony. It be a real shame if something horrible were to happen to them." He leaned back in his seat. "Two defenseless females at the mercy of me."

Tony scoffed. "Cute bluff, count."

"It's no bluff, my friend. I have tortured a myriad of victims. Male, female, adult, child…there is no exception." He folded his hands under his chin. "Would you like to hear about my latest victim? A man who needed money, but refused to commit crime to earn it." He blew a kiss at the air. "He had so much honor that…I had to take the next extreme.

"When he got home, he saw his wife and infant son were…well, I won't go into too many details, but…I'm quite the artist with my craft. It was like a mosaic of murder. The blood certainly complimented her horrified expression."

Tony clenched his teeth, trying to keep his thoughts from remotely guessing what he did. "You sick maniac…"

"Oh, but I haven't even mentioned the best part." He smirked creepily. "As if he couldn't handle the misery of his wife being killed, I informed him that she was alive throughout the whole endeavor. I made sure she stayed alive long enough to feel the agonizing pain of her husband's sins against me.

"The day after that, his body was found lying dead on the sidewalk. Poor fella must have jumped off a building."

The way he spoke aggravated the thief, his cheeks burned red with rage. He spoke about murdering an innocent man's wife and child…so nonchalantly! He addressed the murders and suicide like he was listing off his shopping list…like an evil clown!

"And my motive for killing them? I was just bored that day. It's not like he would have been a huge turning point in my forces." His smile stretched eerily. "You, however, I want. Just imagine what I'll do to your grieving mother and innocent sister if you reject me once more." His eyes shimmered with glee. "In fact, I could give you the play-by-play of the whole session. First, I take a knife and start with the girl's toes-"

The mirror got a massive chip in its side as Tony's Lightning Shot spell scraped against it, blasting a large hole for the outside world to seep in. He breathed heavily through his clenched teeth.

Aeternus snickered. "Looks like I struck a nerve there."

Tony lowered his smoking fingertips. "Listen to me, you insane mob boss, make all the threats you want against me. But, the moment you bring family into this…"

His fur began glowing a lighter blue, giving off the static appearance throughout his body. His entire being crackled with electricity as he raised his finger and pointed at the mirror.

"…I'll make sure you beg to go to Hell."

Even if he was in the safety of a faraway location, the count wasn't fazed by his threats. "You can't stop me, Tony. No matter what, you'll lose a loved one. I guarantee it."

"That won't happen." He glared at the thugs behind him. "And the moment these morons come within twenty feet of my home…" He blasted a Lightning Shot at Pinsir's left pincer. He cried out in pain and held the smoking appendage. "Consider that a light sample of my promise."

"Go ahead and kill them. Not like I care. They know it, too." Aeternus tapped his fingers together. "I'm not asking for much. Your family will be guaranteed happiness under my law. If you work hard enough, you might get a position worthy of my own. You'd be the second richest man in the world. Your mother and sister would live in the lap of luxury! Anything they desire within their fingertips!" He chortled mischievously. "You'd be robbing them of such an undeniable opportunity."

Tony scoffed and looked away. "You're even more twisted than I gave you credit for." He rolled his eyes. "Let me take a guess at your big motive here. You want to rule the world like some generic supervillain and run an authoritarian empire that bends to your will, with only you at the center of everything. Everyone worships you, life is grand, no more wars, and you'd be hailed as a king." He gave a sideways glare. "That about sum it up?"

Aeternus slapped his knee in laughter. "Haha! You crack me up, Tony! You're a funny kid!" His eyes narrowed sharply with a murderous, Cheshire grin.

"You couldn't even begin to comprehend the root of my madness!"

Dead silence rolled over between the two sides of the mirror. One Dewott glaring intently, one Mr. Mime acting like a giddy sociopath. They stared at each other with great intensity, waiting for the other break and give up their stubborn ideals, or to end this pitiful conversation as soon as possible.

And, in Tony's case, that's exactly his plans. "I've wasted enough time talking to loons for one day. I have work to finish." He started making his way out the room.

"I'm telling you, kid…" The thief stopped for a moment. "I always get what I want. I've been playing this same game far longer than anyone has been alive. Take what you will at your own risk."

Tony looked over with a cocky smirk. "…same to you, clown." He exited out the hut, never turning back…except to steal more stuff off the other thugs, who weren't going to be happy later.

Pinsir rubbed his sore pincer with teary eyes. "That stupid kid will be the death of me!"

Dusclops sighed and looked at their boss. "We tried to warn you, sir. The kid's too stubborn."

Aeternus chuckled lightly. "Whatever do you mean? Everything is going as planned."

"Eh?" they both sounded.

The mob boss snapped his fingers to summon a servant to his side. They carried a tray with a vial, filled with purple liquid with black strands inside.

He picked it off the tray and waved his servant away. He presented the vial to his minions. "This will get the kid to beg for our forgiveness."

"What…is that?" Pinsir asked hesitantly.

"A little something an old friend of mine whipped up a long time ago. This is my last one, so make good use of it." He twirled his finger, creating a circular disk of yellow smoke. "Make sure his mother and sister take a sip of this. After that…" He smirked. "Well, find a way to get his attention."

He set the vial down on the yellow disk and tapped it, encasing it in a bubble. He flicked his finger at it, causing a ripple effect to occur before popping, along with the vial inside.

"It should be there in a half hour or so. Find the appropriate time to give them the serum while he's gone." He smirked. "I want him to experience the closest thing to a heart attack as possible.

"Let's see how far he's willing to go to protect his family."

"Here you are, Mrs. Cornwell. Make sure to get plenty of bedrest and you should be on your feet in no time."

"Thank you, Tony."

The Dewott shut the door behind him and started making his way back to the pharmacy. Hopefully Morgan wasn't too upset with how late he was. He should still be home in time for lunch. He had to swing by the market to find Cheri's Bluk berries. Seeing her with a pouty face would make his day.

Still, it didn't eliminate the remnants of anger he felt. He knew there was malicious minds in the world, but that guy took it to a new level of crazy. Someone that sick in the head had serious issues. He dripped with confidence and pride, disregarding reality around him like he was in control. He never understood bad guys like that.

Pirates and bandits do it for money. Bounty hunters are willing to go to the next extreme just to complete a mission. Hitmen were contracted to kill, so they weren't normally crazed killers.

That guy…just looking at his never-ending grin that seemed to stretch nonstop aggravated him. There was only one thing that set him off and that was making threats against his loved ones.

If he ever met him face-to-face, any morality left in his system was going to disappear behind the darkest reaches of his mind.

He groaned in annoyance and slid his hands in his pockets. "Who does that guy think he is?" He closed his eyes in thought. More importantly, what does he want? To rule the world? Being conqueror of all Pokémon? Or some creep who got bored one day and decided to play supervillain? The weirdos I come across get stranger and stranger.

He glared ahead. Still, if he lays one hand on my family, I'm wiping that smug grin off his face.

He shook his head, then rubbed his forehead. Don't let it bother you, Tony. You just need to get back to Pops' place, collect your payment, and then head home. I just can't get side-

"Hey!"

-tracked…oh crap…

He stood still upon seeing the four individuals standing before him, about three meters from him. They had neutral expressions that left them unreadable to the thief. However, he could see in their eyes a glimmer of determination.

He subtly looked at his surroundings and saw he had no easy escape points. The fact they cut him off in such a perfect location for a confrontation was suspicious, especially since they knew the route he was taking. Either they got lucky…or Morgan ratted him out.

He sighed with an awkward chuckle. Damn it, Pops. He looked directly at the head of the group, Wes.

The Umbreon smirked confidently at the thief. "Finally found you, Tony."

The Dewott chuckled and presented a smirk of his own. Wind blew pass the two sides, picking up dust and ash particles.

"Yeah…guess you did."